Research Associate

We are recruiting a Research Associate at our SEI Oxford Centre to support the delivery of projects, including the Adaptation at Altitude programme on climate change adaptation in mountains, the Seed and Innovation project on disaster displacement, the City health and Wellbeing initiative, and SEI’s Knowledge Management portal.

**Location**: Oxford, UK
**Type of contract**: Fixed-term
**Deadline**: Until position is filled

Join our international non-profit research organization and help create a sustainable and prosperous future for all SEI Oxford conducts innovative research and develops new tools, networks and platforms to generate broader insights, and to steer policies and practices toward sustainability.

SEI Oxford manages one of the world’s leading and longest-running global climate adaptation knowledge platforms, weADAPT.org. weADAPT is a collaborative online open space for researchers, practitioners and policymakers to share and access credible high-quality information on climate change adaptation and related areas, and to connect with one another.

**Main responsibilities**:
The Research Associate will support the delivery of projects through a variety of tasks. The specific projects associated with this position include: the Adaptation at Altitude programme on climate change adaptation in mountains, the Seed and Innovation project on disaster displacement, the City health and Wellbeing initiative, and SEI’s Knowledge Management portal. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to be involved in related research in SEI Oxford’s strategic research areas and other topics, including transboundary climate risk, just transitions, climate change and youth leadership. The role will include development of existing weADAPT-related projects and communities of practice around their use.

The Research Associate will be expected to work on additional projects for SEI or undertake other duties as agreed with their line manager.

**Position requirements**:
For this position we are looking for an early-career researcher with an interest and experience in the fields of climate change adaptation, climate governance, low-carbon development and sustainable development, sustainable finance, climate finance or international aid to contribute to SEI’s mission.

**Specific requirements are to**:

- Undertake literature searches and reviews on the topics of climate change adaptation and related areas, such as migration, disasters, cities and well-being.
- Provide operational support to the project manager(s), including:

- Coordinating and scheduling meetings and appointments, including the preparation of materials, and taking and harmonizing notes from meetings.
- Support with coordination and execution of logistics for small and large events.
- Some travel as necessary to provide this support (in line with SEI guidelines).
- Be willing to project-manage smaller projects and lead tasks within larger projects (in line with SEI project model for which training will be given).
- Provide knowledge management support to themes and microsites of weADAPT.org in connection to these research topics.
- Provide support to SEI’s Knowledge Management portal, for example the ‘new joiner’s hub’.

**Skills and competencies**:

- An MSc or higher in international development, climate change and development, environmental science or similar.
- Knowledge and experience of working in climate change and sustainable development.
- Excellent knowledge of Word, Excel and a reference management software.
- Fluent in written and spoken English.
- Excellent writing skills.
- Good data management skills.
- Critical thinking and basic knowledge of statistics and/or qualitative data analysis.
- Experience in conducting literature review and evidence synthesis.

**Working at SEI Oxford**:
SEI is an international non-profit research organization that tackles environment and development challenges. We connect science and decision-making to develop solutions for a sustainable future for all.

Our work spans climate, water, air and land-use issues, governance, the economy, gender and health. Stakeholder involvement is at the heart of our efforts to build capacity, strengthen institutions and equip partners for long-term change.

SEI’s Oxford Centre, has specific expertise in vulnerability assessment, climate adaptation planning, legal and policy analysis, and multi-level governance within the fields of climate change, water and food security, and migration. SEI Oxford has built up a reputation for working at the interface between the natural and social sciences, doing research to directly support policy development, and the operational work of partner, client and donor organizations.

SEI Oxford is a dynamic workplace that employs 12 employees in a Centre office in Oxford, UK.

The post carries with it generous benefits, including a full-time equivalent of 33 days of holiday a year inclusive of any bank/public holidays, com